Door operating mechanism



Oct. 4, 1932. E. L. ROSE nooR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed May 27. 1931 Patented 0ct. 4, 1932 UNITED vSTATES APxrnN'rV OFFICE y EDWIN L. nosn, or CAMBRIDGE,

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 DAHLSTROM METAL- LIC DOOR COMPANY, 0F JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YGRK Doonv OPERATING' MEcANIsM Application filed May 27, 1931. Serial No. 540,363.

This invention relates to an improvement in door operators and more particularly to an arrangement of relatively movable motor elements for use in connection with the operation of sliding doors.

The preferred embodiment of this invention discloses a motor arrangement for operating bi-parting doors by which synchronous speed of the motor is more easily and quickly attained. It is well known that induction motors generally have a low starting force and that some time isrequired to increase the speed and, consequently, the force to a point where the motor may satisfactorily perform a given work. By devising a method which will increase the motor speed relative to the work it is to perform, the required starting force is lessened and synchronous speed more quickly attained. In the present embodiment the field structure is mounted upon and adapted to move with one of the doors. The armature is mounted on and 'movable with the other door. As a resultfof this arrangement, the motor may more quickly approach and attain synchronous speed during the operation of opening or closing the doors than is possible when the ield structure is fixed to the enclosure and the armature required to move both doors.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a rectilinear induction motor :for use in operating bi-parting doors.

Another object of the invention is to provide a single motor of this type in which the driving force is equally distributed to both doors of a bi-parting door structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide an induction motor, the moving parts of which will attain synchronous speed in a relatively short distance. 1 j

A `still further objectr of the invention is to provide a rectilinear induction motor which will operate with relatively high etticiency by reason of the minute slip occurring between the eld and the armature.

companying drawing, and in which Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of the motor which is mounted upon a pair of bi-parting doors in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the structure, showing the motor and doors in extreme open position;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure l; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, the invention is shown comprising a header 11 which forms part of an enclosure generally indicated by the reference numeral 1G. The header is comprised oi:V a horizontal flange 12, which forms a part of the lintel for the door opening, and vertical wall 13 which connects the lintel with a rearwardly projecting horizontal flange 14. rlhe horizontal flange 14 terminates in a vertical iiange 15 which defines the inner wall limit in which the enclosure structure is mounted.

Adjacent the lintel 12 and secured to the wall 13 of the header are a number of brackets 17, having upper and lower iianges by which they are attached to said wall with bolts 19.

A central outwardly projecting portion 20 on the brackets 17 supports a track 21. Doors 23 and 24 have attached to their upper edges pendent plates 26. These plates are formed to provide inner and outer vertical flanges 27, connected by a horizontal flange 28. Mounted on bearing pins 30 are track rollers 31. rlhe ends of the pins project into and are supported bythe flanges 27. The doors 23 and 24 are suspended upon the track21 through the pendent plates 26 and track rollers 31.

In connection with bi-parting doors it is common to provide a mechanism by which a driving torce applied to one door causes reverse directional movement of the other door. In the present case two gears, sprockets or pulley wheels 33 are mounted on the vertical wall of the header, being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the combined width ofi` the doors 23 and 24. An endless cable 34 connects the wheels 33. The top portion 35 of the cable is attached to door 24 and the lower portion 36 of the cable is attached to door 23. Movement of one of the doors in one direction or the other reciprocates the cable about the wheels 33, causing the other door to travel in the opposite direction. The mechanism above described, while included in the showing of the invention, does not necessarily form a part thereof since under certain conditions the motor would be adequate to produce proper movement of the doors.

Attached to the flange 28 of the pendent plate 2G of door 24, by bolts 37, is a bar 38, one end of which extends beyond one vvertical edge of the door, approximately said door width. Mounted on the overhanging portion of the bar is the field structure 40 of a rectilinear motor by which doors 23 and 24 are reciprocated. rlhis field structure is comprised of two spaced coil and core groups, secured to the casing plates 42. The longitudinally extending vertical slot 43, occurring between the two field groups, receives the vertical portion of an armature 44. Located above and below the coil and lamination groups and joined to the spaced casing plates 42, by bolts 45, are upper and lower plates 46 and 47. These plates extend the length of the field structure and constitute a top and bottom closure therefor as well as acting to rigidly space the coil groups in order that, during the operation of the motor, the slot 43 may not vary in width. Projecting from the inner faces of the plates 4G and 47 are spaced flanges 49 which form a guide-way 50, the purpose of which will later be brought out.

Mounted on the pendent plate flange 28 of door 23 is a bracket 52, having spaced flanges 53. Aligned openings are made in these flanges and a pin inserted by which to pivotally support one end of the armature 44. The armature is arranged with a depending port-ion 55 which projects into the space between the flanges 53, being pivotally engaged by the bracket pin. rIhe upper and lower edges of the armature are provided with shoes 56. These shoes lie within the guide- Way 50 and cause the free end of the armature to be supported within the field armature. By rigidly attaching the field structure to one door and pivotally mounting the armature on the other door, any slight unevenness in the track 2l or irregularity in the travel of the doors cannot be communicated to the motor. It will be noted that by reason of the provision of a guide for the armature, through the field structure, said armature is at all times uniformly spaced from both coil and core groups, consequently, the only friction occurring between the moving elements of the motor is that of the shoes 56. Suitable lubricant may be supplied to the guide-ways 50 to minimize this friction.

While applicant has shown and described a rectilinear induction motor in which both the field structure and the armature are movable as applied to bi-parting enclosure doors, it is obvious that a motor of this arrangement may be applied to perform work other than the operation of the doors shown and described and it is therefore not intended that applicant be limited in the spirit and scope of his invention other than as defined in the hereunto annexed claims.

Having thus set forth my invention what I claim as new and for which I desire protection by Letters Patent is:

l. In an entrance enclosure having track supported bi-parting doors, a rectilinear motor for operating said doors, said motor comprising a field struct-ure and armature having electro-magnetic association, said armature being attached to one of said doors and said field structure to the other of said doors whereby, when said field structure is energized from a suitable source of current supply, said doors will move from one position to another.

2. In an entrance enclosure having track supported bi-parting doors, a motor comprising two electro-magnetically associated movable elements, means securing one of said elements to one of said doors and further means securing the other of said elements to the other of said doors, said motor elements, when energized from a suitable source of current reacting one upon the other to effect movement of each of said doors equal to the movement of the motor element affixed thereto.

3. In an entrance enclosure having a selfcontained door supporting and operating unit comprising a header, a track joined to said header, pendant plates, anti-friction means supporting said pendant plates on said track, doors suspended from said pendant plates, a motor comprising two electromagnetically associated movable elements, means fixedly supporting one of said motor elements on one of said pendant plates, means pivotally supporting the other of said elements on the other of said pendant plates, and further means for maintaining operative relationship between said motor elements, said motor elements being so proportioned as to lie, at all times, within a space defined longitudinally by the limits of said header.

4. In an entrance enclosure, a header, a track mounted on said header, a pair of coordinated pendant plates, anti-friction means supporting said pendant plates on said track, a motor for operating said doors, said motor comprising two electro-magnetically associated movable elements, an overhanging bar mounted on one of said pendant plates, one of said motor elements being mounted on the over-hanging portion of said bar, a bracket mounted on the other of said pendant plates,

means pivotally engaging the other of said motor elements with said bracket, and further means for maintaining operative relationship between said motor elements whereby said motor elements lie at all times within the longitudinal limits of said header.

5. In an entrance enclosure having track supported bi-parting doors, a motor comprising` two movable elements for operating said doors, one of said elements being attached to one of said doors, the other of said elements being attached to the other of said doors, said motor when energized, being adapted to move said doors to effect opening or closing of the entrance in said enclosure.

6. In an entrance enclosure having a header, a track on said header for supporting bi-parting doors, coordinating means for maintaining proper relative movement of a pair of doors, a motor comprising two movable elements or operating said doors, one of said elements being attached to one of said doors, the other of said elements being attached to the other of said doors, said motor, means and track being located within the cubic confines of said header.

7. In an entrance enclosure structure having track supported bi-parting doors, an electric motor comprising a eld structure and armature, means supporting said lield structure on one of said doors, further means supporting said armature on the other of said doors, said field structure and said armature being electro-magnetically associated whereby when said ield structure is energized from a suitable source of current supply said doors will move from one position to another with respect to said enclosure structure.

8. In an entrance enclosure structure having track supported bi-parting doors, an electric motor comprising two electrically associated movable elements, one of said' elements being mounted on one of said doors and the other of said elements being mounted on the other of said doors, and further means or maintaining operative relationship between said motor elements, said motor elements when energized from a suitable source of current supply being adapted to move relative to each other to eiect a direct drive on said doors Jfrom one position to another.

In testimony whereof I have aiiiXed my signature.

EDWIN L. ROSE. 

